Chix's Chatter - Controversial or what?

Chix takes a hard stare at the criticism of Pompey's current situation and asks 'Wembley! Was it worth it?'

Life as a Pompey fan is never dull is it?

One minute we feel 'On top of the World', the next, that proverbial rug is pulled from beneath our size nines and with the assistance of gravity we come hurtling back towards Earth with the full weight of the World pressing firmly on our shoulders.

But aren't the ups & downs and the trials & tribulations of supporting your team what being a football fan is all about?

For obvious reasons the present communication embargo in operation around the corridors of Fratton Park is frustrating the majority of fans to such an extent that some feel the need to plan demonstrations or rip-up their Season Tickets. Whether we agree with these actions is somewhat irrelevant to the debate I want to present, but Pompey's eerie silence whether justified or not, continues to hang like a shadow over virtually every conversation concerning our beloved club.

Some claim that the silence is necessary while Pompey get their (financial) house in order; others see a far darker picture in which silence can only mean evil!

Over the past couple of months I have read many views on 'Pompey's Plight' and to say they differ from one person to another is an understatement, but between the lines they all seem intent on associating blame. Some supporters blame Sasha for our current predicament; others blame Jamie's Dad, some Peter Storrie or Dr SAF. I've even heard somebody blame Gordon Brown!

Personally, I do not know who (if anybody) is to blame, but having read and listened to those many discussions the common thread that hangs from them all is that (with Sasha's permission) Sandra's Husband attracted players to Fratton Park by offering 'over the odds' salaries. Salaries which with the help of 'the Credit Crunch' became unsustainable and it is that unsustainability (Dr SAF or no Dr SAF) that puts us where we are today.

However, it could be argued that the players earning those 'over the odds' salaries delivered the goods. In short space of time Pompey became a top ten Premiership club, packed with international stars and at their peak, in 90 golden Wembley minutes a year ago last May they delivered the FA Cup to the City of Portsmouth for the first time in 69 years and with it followed European football and AC Milan.

But was it all worth it? If we were to know then that within a year most of our heroes would be sold on to settle the very debts their salaries helped create would we have taken our moment of glory? Or would we have settled for a more secure future as a mid-table Fulham?

I guess my question is…

Was the 'up' of winning the FA Cup worth the 'down' of where we are today?

Comments

My philosophy throughout life has always been you can always pay back the money but you can't relive the experience. For that very reason i spent £200 on a Cup final ticket, and several hundred more visiting Guimaraes and Wolfsburg. I am currently paying the money back! All three experiences were well worth going to. You should never have any regrets about anything you have done. Whats done is done.

Short answer: Yes! At the end of the day, FA Cup win or not, we this was always going to happen. I'm far from happy that it has, but if we had crashed out at OT instead of winning then we'd be in the position we are now for sure - it was all Jamie's Dad, Storrie and Sascha's doing, and to be honest going down the toilet was always going to hapen! So if it means we could go to Wembley and enjoy a wicked day out - then so be it!

A fair point Rabbi and one that I would more often that not hold myself, but if we knew back then what was going to happen would you (as Pompey) have sacrificed the FA Cup for stability .. not to mention your savings

I am really glad we had one day of glory by winning the FA Cup - I don't expect us to win the FA Cup again in my lifetime. The good thing about Harry Rednapp's signings is that essentially we have either made good money on the transfer deals or got almost all the money back on those players purchased - leaving us today in a financial predicament pretty similar to where we were when Sacha purchased the club. Think of the quality of the squad then, and what we have now, and I'd say yes, spending big to win the Cup was worth it. I used to say to myself everyday "Portsmouth for the Cup", now I saw "Portsmouth won the Cup". I can rest in peace!

Hopefully not yet StuartM That day in the Sun was truly awesome I have to admit and I would have never have changed it for the World.. but don't you feel it is just a little bit tainted now? [Edited by hickin]

As much as I can moan with the best of em about what is transpiring now at the club I'd tend to relate it to a life experience. Better to have loved and lost than not have loved at all. And no I'm not getting into a NOTW style tell all. In all truth I don't actually think many fans thought about anything more than the moment, while the team was building year on year with talent, and we became a force to reckon with. You must remember that we were also sold the dream with Sasha's takeover, none of us were privy to the finances. The same old lines were trotted out then if I remember correctly. But heh! I enjoyed it and now I'll moan but put up with the heartbreak. I've loved.